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I was taken aback when I realized that not everyone aspires to be a leader. It became clear tome that not everyone wants to direct others or take on the responsibilities that come withleading a project. I’m always on the lookout for potential leaders—individuals who are eager to learn, open tocoaching, competent, trustworthy, and capable of building strong relationships with others.Let’s be honest: perfection is rare. Perfection is not even a realistic goal. Instead, true leadersembrace the...

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Blog, Leadership

A couple of weeks ago, I asked my team to define the word "priorities." Their responseswere spot on: "main focus, importance, consistency, safety, and order." Then, I askedthem to share what they believe are some of our top priorities for campus grounds. Iwas pleased to hear answers like "appearance, safety, removing dead plants, treehealth, mowing, litter, and weeds." As a team responsible for maintaining the visualappeal of our campus, these answers reflected an understanding of our...

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Blog, Leadership

Ever wonder why some organizations seem to excel, no matter what challenges they face? What gives them that extra edge? In my experience, it’s not about luck or good fortune. It’s about having a clear vision and consistently working toward it. When you wake up every day with a purpose, your effort generates momentum. The energy you invest comes back to you even stronger. Jim Rohn said it best: “Success is nothing more than a few simple...

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Blog, Leadership

In my book Cultivate, I tell the story of Pete. Pete was not always a model employee. To quote Pete: “The first time I worked here three years ago, I acted like a spoiled brat. I complained, I moaned, I criticized and grumbled almost every day. I kept thinking everybody owed me something. So, I quit here and went to work across town pouring concrete, making really good money.”  The next job did not work out...

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Blog, Leadership

Why don’t you ever see top organizations talking about their in-house drama? Perhaps they hire people who don’t have the temperament for drama and therefore they have employees who don’t “do” drama. Or perhaps these organizations are intentionally developing a work culture that is strong and focuses on the vision, mission, and values of the organization. But what happens when you do have it for whatever reason? Maybe you inherited it. Any way you get it, you...

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Blog, Leadership

Frontline leaders manage over 80% of the overall workforce. Finding yourself promoted to a frontline leadership role means you are now managing the people who deliver for the company. How you lead your team will determine, to a significant extent, the success of the organization. When managing the frontline, it is handy to have these 5 F's as your framework for leadership: Fair: Be fair and don’t play favorites. Lead with clear expectations. Let each employee prove themselves...

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Blog, Leadership

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin What do you want your front-line leaders to know? Have you told them? Have you taught them? More importantly, have you worked with them? Recently, I spoke to a group of leaders about the role of the Foreman in our work and what working as a Foreman in the field involves. I did some research with current Landscape Branch Managers and...

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Blog, Leadership

The word momentum isn’t used very often by the service industry. But this week I was a small part of an exciting Leader 2 Leader session with two separate groups of landscape employees. The meat of the class was watching a video on Momentum, and we discussed what momentum is, why it is important, and how to make it or lose it in the workplace. For a group of landscapers, momentum, or the strength of force, is...

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Blog, Leadership

A young mom, Sheila, took her only little girl to her first day of school. Her young daughter, naturally nervous, became scared and frightened at the thought of her mom leaving her. She cried and clung tightly to her mom’s leg. Leaving her daughter at school that first day took courage from them both. But Sheila remembered the things she had done in her own life that were scary … that she didn’t want to do...

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Blog, Leadership

I asked a group of landscape leaders how observation had played a role in their success today. Here is what they said: Intentional and deliberate communication: “I learned to slow down when I spoke to my bosses and team. I observed how my bosses took time to communicate deliberately and intentionally each time they spoke to me. That is powerful.” Leaders lose the opportunity to instruct others when they fail to thoughtfully and exactly communicate – be...

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